Medicated shoes



pril 3, 9 M. A. STARENSIER 2,740,207

MEDICATED SHOES Filed Feb. 21. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 21

INVENTOR.

MOI-VII? ,4. fifiwrenszer Qua/7W7 M an April 3, 1956 M. A. STARENSIER 2,740,207

MEDICATED SHOES Filed Feb. 21, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Mqrrm 4 n-cask United States Patent MEDICATED SHOES Marvin A. Starensier, Peds, Inc., Boston, setts Haverhill, Mass., assignor to Med-l- Mass., a corporation of Massachu- The present invention relates to a slipper or shoe in which the inner elements which come in contact with the foot are medicated for the treatment of irritations caused by such diseases as athletes foot, fungus infections and other similar irritations of the skin.

The present invention is more particularly concerned with irritations around the toes and in the skin between and under the toes in the region of the joints of the toes with the foot. In the average human foot just forward of the front metatarsal joints, the contour of the foot curves upward from the sole so that in the ordinary shoe there is some space between the toes and the inner sole at the junction of the toes and the foot. This region together with the areas between the toes and Where the toes are joined to the foot are usually the parts most readily infected by fungus growth and other irritations. This is probably due to the fact that it is not easy to keep the foot dry in this region and therefore the bacteria fungi or other organisms which usually thrive in a moist medium are particularly apt to cause such irritations in this region.

It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a slipper or shoe or an insert for the slipper or shoe which carries suitable medicaments capable of continually treating these regions for a long period.

It is further the object of the present invention to provide a slipper or shoe construction such that these portions of the foot which are attacked in this manner may be more readily kept dry and kept under such anti-fungi growth conditions so that such irritations can be treated or prevented.

It is further the object of the present invention to provide a slipper which may be partially open and in which the toes may be slightly separated and be continually treated by the wearing and using of the slipper which brings the medicated materials-in constant contact with the parts tending to be affected.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the description in the specification set forth below when taken in connection with the drawings illustrating an embodiment of the invention, in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of one form of the invention as applied to a slipper.

Figure 2 shows a section taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 shows a section taken Figure 2.

Figure 5 shows an exploded view of another form of the invention.

Figure 6 illustrates a detail of the adjustable medicated element used in Figure 5, and,

Figure 7 shows a perspective view substantially looking down upon the slipper illustrating the assembly of the element shown, in Figures 5 and 6.

In the arrangement indicated in Figures 1-4 inclusive,

on the line 4-4 of the invention is shown as applied to a sandal type slipper and comprises an outer sole 1, an inner sole 2, a vamp 3 and an inner lining 4 and an edge binding 5. The shoe may be made of any of the usual materials, such for instance as canvas, fiber fabric, leather or composition material. The outer sole 1, when the construction is that of a sandal slipper, is preferably made of canvas or some stifi porous material. This may be lined on its inner side with a covering 2 which may be short or long fibered woven cotton or woolen fabric such as flannel, some soft blocked material or some soft fabric material, textile or otherwise. The lining or inner sole 2 may be stitched down to the outer sole with the stitching down of the vamp. The lining 4 for the vamp may be of similar material as the inner sole 2. Both the lining for the vamp and the inner sole are chemically treated with suitable fungicide materials many of which are known in the art, such for instance as Asterol a trade name product of Hoffman La Roche Company, which is chiefly substituted benzthiazole or some anti-fungal substance, as for instance zinc salt of undecylenic acid.

As indicated in the figures between the position normally occupied by each toe in the slipper, are upwardly extending cords 6, 6, etc. These cord elements may be one continuous long cord in which case as indicated in Figure 2 the cord 7 may be stitched in to the periphery of the slipper by stitching 8 which holds the upper, sole and edge binding together. The cord continues transversely across the slipper in the region just beneath the position of the junction of the toes and the foot. The section 9 is therefore under the outside toe and the elements 6 are brought upwards and downwards through holes in the inner sole 2 and in the top lining 4 respectively forming spaced loops across the shoe at the junction position just explained. The cord 7 will maintain the inner sole raised across the sole in the position above mentioned. The sections of the cord 9, 10 and 11, as indicated in Figure 2, lies beneath the inner sole 2, and if desired, in the in-between position 12 and 13, a filling material may be used to raise this section so that it will be in contact with the foot. The cord 7 as will be seen in. Figure 2 may be threaded into the vamp lining 4 and lies between the vamp lining 4 and the vamp top 3 in the sections 14 and 15. The cord as indicated in Figure 3 may be formed with a soft wire core 16 which is sufi'iciently yielding so that the vamp of the slipper may be compressed to the inner sole for packing purposes or otherwise. The core should be of such a material that while it may be readily deformed, it can be brought back to its desired position. The core 16 may be made of an annealed, some soft metal or of a pliable plastic. This coil is covered by a soft woven or fabric cover 17 which is medicated and treated in the same manner as the inner sole and vamp lining. Figure 4 which is a section on the line 4-4 shows how the region of the inner sole is raised along the toe line junction as illustrated by 18.

Besides incorporating the medicated treated region as an integral part of the shoe, it may be made in the form of an insert to be put in the shoe in the same position as indicated in Figure 1, in which case the equivalent of the vamp lining and the inner sole together with the up and down cords or strips would be formed as an integral piece which would fit inside the shoe at the toe joint and foot.

A still further modification of the invention is shown in Figures 5, 6, and 7, in which there is provided an inner sole 20 which may be made to fit to an outer sole 21 of a slipper or shoe and held thereto by attaching tabs 22. The inner sole 20 may be provided with a selies of double slots 23 approximately in the position between successive toes. Further these double slots may be threaded by a strip of material 24, the ends 25 and 26 of which thread through the outside slot of the series of slots, 23. These ends are adjustable so that the toe stalls or loop 27 may be adjusted in height to accommodate the toe and maintain contact with the skin at the sides of the toes and underneath the bottom of the toes just forward of the junction with the foot. As indicated in Figure 6, the strap 24 is threaded in the slots 23 and then drawn outward at the sides underneath the inner sole 20, so that comfortable contact may be obtained in the adjustment of the strap in its correct position before attachment of the tabs to the sole 21. Figure 7 indicates the complete assembly of the slipper with the vamp 23 in position permanently attached to the outer sole 29 and lying over the toe stall strap 24. If desired, a medicated internal liner 30 may be fixed on the inside of the vamp just above the toe strap and this may be in contact with the top surface of the toes which is not covered by the strap 24. The strap 24 may be of soft medicated fabric of cotton, wool or composition ma terial or the strap 24 may be felted or flocked material.

As has been described in connection with Figures 1-4 the region beneath the junction of the toe and the foot on the inner sole may be raised and this area medicated so that it will come in contact with the bottom of the toe and the foot in the region mentioned.

While in Figures 1-4 the invention has been described in connection with the use of a cord of soft deformable material, fabric tape or strip of soft material as described in Figure 5, Figure 6 and Figure 7, may also be used.

Having now described my invention, 1 claim:

1. An internally medicated slipper having a vamp with a completely open toe section and an inner sole for the treatment of athletes foot and the like comprising a plurality of soft yielding partitioning strips, substantially narrower than the length of the toe space in the slipper secured at one end to the inner sole and at the other end to the inside of the vamp in the region of the junction of the toe to the foot, said strips having a medicament for treatment of the foot.

2. An internally medicated slipper having a vamp and an inner sole for the treatment of athletes foot and the like comprising a plurality of soft, yielding partitioning elements secured at one end to the inner sole and at the other end to the inside of the vamp in the region of the junction of the toe to the foot, means providing a raised surface on the inner sole in the region of forward end of the metatarsal joints sufiicient to provide contact against the foot at the base of the toes, said elements and said raised surface having a medicament for treatment of foot irritation.

3. An internally medicated slipper having a vamp with a completely open toe section and and. innersole for the treatment of athletes foot and the like, comprising a partitioning strip substantially narrower than the toe space in the slipper of soft, yielding, deformable material extending from the sole to the vamp each toe of the foot, said partitioning strip having a medicament for the treatment of foot irritation.

4. An internally medicated slipper having an open endbetween the position of ed vamp to allow complete circulation of air under the vamp between the toes from the front to the rear of the foot and innersole for the treatment of athletes foot and the like, comprising a soft yielding deformable cord extending upwards from the sole of the slipper in a position between each toe of the foot where the toes join the foot, said partitioning member having a medicament for the treatment of foot irritation.

S. An internally medicated slipper having a vamp and innersole for the treatment of athletes foot and the like, comprising a partitioning member, comprising a soft yielding deformable cord comprising a wire core surrounded by a soft fabric sheath extending upwards from the sole of the slipper in a position between each toe of the foot where the toes join the foot, said partitioning member having a medicament for the treatment of foot irritation.

6. An internally medicated slipper having a vamp and innersole for the treatment of athletes foot and the like, comprising a partitioning member, comprising a soft yielding deformable cord threaded alternately under the inner sole and through the vamp forming partitioning stalls for each toe adjacent the forward end of the metatarsal joints where the toes join the foot, said partitioning member having a medicament for the treatment of foot irritations.

7. An internally medicated slipper having a vamp and innersole for the treatment of athlete's foot and the like, comprising a partitioning member, comprising a soft yielding deformable cord threaded alternately under the inner sole and through the vamp forming partitioning stalls for each toe adjacent the forward end of the metatarsal joints where the toes join the foot, said partitioning member having a medicament for the treatment of foot irritations, and the inner surface of the vamp and inner sole in said region also having a medicament for the treatment of foot irritation.

8. An internally medicated slipper having a vamp and innersole for the treatment of athletes foot and the like, comprising a partitioning member comprising a soft yielding deformable strip threaded through the inner sole and vamp alternately forming partitions for each toe of the foot, the inner surfaces of the vamp and inner sole as well 7 as said strip having a medicament for the treatment of foot irritation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 963,605 Mannesmann July 5, 1910 1,098,397 Pecorella June 2, 1914 1,144,291 Boyer June 22, 1915 1,349,095 Parisi Aug. 10, 1920 1,867,679 Rieble et al July 19, 1932 2,543,272 Beman Feb. 27, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 137,189 Switzerland May 16, 1930 218,698 Germany Feb. 10, 1910 445,921 Great Britain Apr. 20, 1936 

